Biography of Wendy Horton
Wendy Horton, MBA, PharmD, FACHE, is a nationally recognized healthcare leader with extensive experience across leading academic medical centers She serves as the Senior Vice President and President of Adult Services at UCSF Health, one of the nation's top 10 hospitals. Throughout her career, she has focused on driving strategic growth, enhancing operational performance, and ensuring patient-centered care, all while maintaining a strong commitment to serving the community.
A consistent advocate for quality and innovation in healthcare, Wendy is dedicated to enhancing care processes and utilizing advanced technologies to place patients and care teams at the center of care delivery
Her combination of clinical pharmacy expertise and leadership experience at top-ranked healthcare institutions, all while maintaining high safety standards, has set her apart as a respected and trusted voice in the healthcare field.
Professional Career
UVA Health
Before joining UCSF Health, Wendy served as CEO of UVA Health University Medical Center and System COO of UVA Health, a $4.5 billion health system employing over 17,000 team members and 1,200 faculty in Charlottesville, Virginia During her five-year tenure, she played a vital role in the organization’s statewide growth She built strong alliances and partnerships, including those with UVA Community Health, Riverside Health System, the Virginia Congenital Cardiac Consortium, and the Sentara Martha Jefferson stroke partnership, while also advancing pediatric behavioral health initiatives Her efforts strengthened integration across clinical, financial, and operational areas, ensuring cohesive and sustainable patient care.
Under her guidance, UVA Health doubled in size, expanding its access and impact across Virginia. She also introduced innovative workforce development programs, including an "earn-while-you-learn" initiative, and supported community care coordination and population health efforts to address the social determinants of health.
Wendy promoted a culture of safety by ensuring proper staffing, transparent leadership, and a psychologically safe environment. Engagement was strengthened through initiatives such as Be Heard Breakfasts, Ask Me Anything forums, town halls, listening sessions, weekly blogs, and clinical rounds She also established the Center for Advanced Practice, providing a professional home for over 700 Advanced Practice Providers to enhance patient access and career growth. Her efforts reduced reliance on travel nurses by more than 75%
The Ohio State University
For three years, she served as the Chief Administrative Officer at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, part of a $4 billion academic health system comprising seven hospitals and 20 research institutes During her tenure, she oversaw the onboarding of 13 department chairs and 16 key division leaders, advanced faculty engagement, improved organizational culture, and increased diversity among faculty and students Her operational improvements reduced physician recruiting time from 76 days to under 14 days an 81% improvement
Wendy also created and executed a $340 million physician compensation plan affecting 1,200 physicians across 18 departments. Within her first 90 days, she modernized administrative
operations and led the planning and construction of two new campus buildings Research funding grew to $269.4 million, representing a 28.4% increase, and she helped secure the $65.9 million HEALing Communities Grant the largest in the university’s history
University of Wisconsin
Wendy spent 12 years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including three years as Vice President of Operations In that role, she combined her clinical and operational experience to complete and commission a new hospital She oversaw professional, hospitality, business development, and support services, ensuring operational excellence and a coordinated approach to hospital management
Accomplishments
Her contributions have been widely recognized across the healthcare industry In 2023, she was honored as one of Modern Healthcare’s Top Women Leaders in Healthcare Under her leadership, UVA Health was repeatedly ranked the #1 hospital in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report and Newsweek These achievements were maintained through the challenges of the pandemic and other significant disruptions
The organization also earned a place on Forbes’ 2025 list of America’s Best Employers for Women and received the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
Her leadership consistently resulted in “A” safety ratings across UVA Health Medical Centers, along with the nation’s highest recognition for trauma care clinical excellence UVA also received the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition the highest nursing distinction awarded to only 9% of hospitals in the country.
Wendy was profiled in the article “How 2 Pharmacy Leaders Became Hospital CEOs”, highlighting her professional journey from pharmacy to executive leadership. She has earned national recognition for advancing pharmacy leadership, innovative workforce initiatives, and her “Earn While You Learn” development programs.
Board Positions and Memberships
She currently serves on several boards, including the Board of Governors of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Vizient AMC CEO Executive Advisory Council, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Foundation
Education
She holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Utah, and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from Oregon State University She is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), and a Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist. She is also a licensed pharmacist in Wisconsin and Utah.
Wendy Horton continues to lead with purpose, shaping healthcare through innovation, operational strength, and a deep commitment to patients, care teams, and the broader community